Cut Copy (Brighton)

Two words: Nathan and Barley. Gig going, in Brighton particularly, hasn’t been the same since Chris Morris’ hilarious TV send-up of everything at the more fashionable end of ‘alternative’ culture mercilessly lampooned the mullet-haired, stupid-hatted buffoons polluting the country’s nightlife.

Tonight is almost like a scene from that very sitcom, with every neon idiot blindly repeating the words ‘nu-rave’ over and over again as some kind of dumb mantra. Tiny-minded dancers jig incessantly to average electro-funk-so-hip-it-hurts support Transformer as if they’re playing something revolutionary, which they definitely aren’t.

The scene is set for further annoyance as more of the wretched goons storm into the packed seaside venue in time for Aussie headliners Cut Copy. Fortunately, or unfortunately for the grumpy reviewers in the crowd hoping to sink their teeth into something unpleasant, the Melbourne lads deny expectations. Pumping a storming, full-on clubbing injection into the crowd, the dancefloor almost instantaneously comes alive. Fusing a brilliant and quite different mix of traditional indie-rock songwriting building to huge dance choruses and jump in the air euphoria, the shiny walls and sparkly lights of Digital awake.

Blowing away the rest of this so-called indie dance movement, including the likes of Hot Chip and Simian Mobile Disco, Cut Copy take all the best bits from New Order’s back catalogue and a sprinkling of Jesus And Mary Chain guitar noise, stirring it all in with a pulsating Orbital beat. A crowd seemingly not used to music of substance almost look surprised when they start salivating to stunning recent release 'So Haunted', leaping about the dancefloor with ferociously optimistic abandon. By the end of this earth-shaking set, division between music snob and music yob are broken down in sheer respect for a great night of genre-blending magic.

Digital, Brighton, 19th February 2008.

Written by Nick Aldwinckle.